Ice shaving machine



Sept; 16, 1958 s, BERT $852,201

ICE SHAVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1954 INVENTOR 20 v amue/ Barf L5- .5- BY 27W? ATTORNEY United tates ICE SHAVING MACHINE Samuel Bert, Dallas, Tex.

Application September 13, ,1954, Serial No. 455,727

Claims. (Cl. 241-92) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in machines for shaving or disintegrating blocks of ice, and specifically, this invention concerns itself with certain improvements in similar machines disclosed in my prior patents, No. 1,700,819 dated February 5, 1929; No. 1,722,031 dated July 23, 1929; and No. 2,477,474 dated July 26, 1949.

While using and experimenting with machines constructed in accordance with my prior patents I found that the same lend themselves to certain modifications whereby the construction thereof is substantially simplified, parts and space requirements are reduced, speed and convenience of operation are increased, care and maintenance are kept at minimum, durability is enhanced and, whereby the machine as a whole is generally better suited for the purpose for which it is intended.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a machine of this type wherein such structural and functional improvements are embodied.

With the above more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the instant invention resides in the details of construction and arrangement of parts substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts and wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the improved machine;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1 and shown on a reduced scale;

Figure 3 is a sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2 and shown on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 4 is a sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in Figure 1.

With reference now to the accompanying drawing in detail, in common with the disclosure in my prior patents the ice shaving machine embodies in its construction an upper receptacle 1 which afiords a compartment for a block of ice to be shaved or disintegrated, and a lower receptacle 2 which affords a compartment for receiving the shaved or disintegrated ice. A motor actuated knife assembly 3 is disposed in the upper portion of the lower compartment or receptacle 2 to operate on the lower surface of a block of ice positioned in the upper receptacle, it being understood that the lower end portion of the block of ice projects through an opening 4 at the bottom of the upper receptacle into the lower receptacle, so that it is operatively engaged by the knife assembly 3.

The upper receptacle 1 also contains an ice block engaging and following means including an upwardly and downwardly movable plate 5 and an actuating mechanism 6 associated therewith for automatically cutting off the power to the motor driven knife assembly when the cake of ice has been substantially completely shaved and the plate 5 reaches the lower limit of its travel in the receptacle 1. The actuating or control mechanism 6 is ice 2 substantially the same in construction as that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,477,474.

The side walls of the receptacles 1 and 2.are preferably transparent or provided with transparent windows so that the interior thereof is clearly visible. Specifically, the upper receptacle 1 is of the same or similar construction as the receptacle 8 in my Patent No. 2,477,474, to which reference may be had for details, although it will be obvious that such details may be varied, if desired, without departing from the spirit of the instant invention.

As set forth in my Patent No. 2,477,474, the upper receptacle 1 rests on the lower receptacle 2 and is provided with a side door (not shown) through which a block of ice may be introduced thereinto.

' The lower receptacle 2 corresponds generally to the receptacle 1 in my Patent No. 2,477,474 and is provided at one side thereof with a dispensing door (not shown) through which shaved ice may be removed. Except for departures as herein specified, the lower receptacle may be substantially the same in construction as that in my above enumerated patent.

, As shown, the receptacle 2 is provided with suitable legs '7 and a bottom 8 equipped with a drain 9. A moisture-proof housing 10 .is disposed in the receptacle 2 and is secured to the bottom 8 of the latter by suitable bolts 11, it being noted that the housing 10 is equipped with a substantially frusto-conical top wall portion 12, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

A prime mover such as an electric motor 13 is mounted in the housing 10 and is secured to the bottom 8 of the receptacle 2 by mounting bolts 14, the motor 13 having an armature or drive shaft 15 which passes snugly but rotatably through an aperture 16 at the center of the top wall portion 12. If preferred, a suitable seal may be provided at this point to prevent leakage of moisture around the shaft 15 into the housing 10.

The knife assembly 3 includes a disc 17 which is disposed below and is somewhat larger than the aforementioned opening 4 between the receptacles 1 and 2. The disc 17 is provided with a plurality of radial slots 18 in which are mounted knife blades 19 by suitable screws 20, constructed and operating in accordance with my prior patents. Thus, when a block of ice is inserted in the upper receptacle 1, it will rest upon the knife assembly 3 and when rotation is imparted to the latter, the ice will be shaved from the lower surface of the block and the shaved ice will drop into the receptacle 2.

The disc 17 of the knife assembly 3 is supported by a depending spider 21 secured to a mounting boss or hub 22, the latter, in turn, being affixed to the upper end portion of the motor shaft 15 in a closely spaced relation to the top wall portion 12 of the housing 10.

In order to safeguard against any possibility of mois ture passing into the housing 10 through the aperture 16, the boss 22 is formed at the underside thereof with a depression or recess 23 which is larger in diameter than the upper end of the frusto-conical top wall portion 12 of the housing. Thus, any drops of moisture collecting on the boss 22 will fall on the outer surface of the top wall portion 12 and gravitate laterally to the outer side walls of the housing 10.

A platform 24 is positioned on and spaced upwardly from the bottom 8 of the lower receptacle 2, the platform being provided with supporting flanges 25 and being formed with a plurality of openings or perforations 26 to allow moisture to pass therethrough and to the drain 9 when shaved ice is deposited on the platform.

Finally, my present invention contemplates an improvement in means for preventing rotation of the ice block engaging and following plate 5 inv the upper receptacle 1, the improved means involving the provision of a pair of laterally projecting trunnions 27 equipped 3 with rotatable rollers 28 which are movable in a pair of guiding grooves 29 formed in opposite side walls of the receptacle 1, as is best shown in Figure 4.

Although in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the improved invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an ice shaving machine, the combination of a lower receptacle for shaved ice including a bottom pro vided with a drain, an upper receptacle for holding a block of ice to be shaved, a moisture-proof housing disposed in said lower receptacle and secured to the bottom thereof, said housing including a substantially frustoconical upstanding top wall portion provided at its center with an aperture, a motor disposed in said housing and including a vertical drive shaft, said drive shaft extending snugly but rotatably through the aperture of said top wall portion, and a knife assembly secured to the upper end of said shaft and disposed under said upper receptacle, said knife assembly including a mounting boss secured to said shaft in closely spaced relation to the top wall portion of said housing.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 together with mounting bolts provided on said motor and extending through the bottom of said lower receptacle.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 together with a perforate platform positioned on but spaced upwardly from the bottom of said lower receptacle, said platform surrounding said housing.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting boss of said knife assembly is provided at the underside thereof with a recess having a diameter greater than the upper end of the frusto-conical top Wall portion of said housing.

5. In an ice shaving machine, the combination of a lower receptacle for shaved ice including a bottom provided with a drain, an upper receptacle for holding a block of ice to be shaved, a moisture-proof housing disposed in said lower ice receptacle and supported in the bottom thereof, said housing including a substantially frusto-conical upstanding top wall portion provided at its center with an aperture, a motor disposed in said housing and including a vertical drive shaft, said drive shaft extending snugly but rotatably through the aperture of said top wall portion, and a knife assembly secured to the upper end of said shaft and disposed under said upper receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,700,819 Bert Feb. 5, 1929 2,181,000 Shively Nov. 21, 1939 2,280,053 Barnes Apr. 21, 1942 2,606,720 Lennon et al Aug. 12, 1952 2,655,318 Beyer Oct. 13, 1953 2,665,852 Shively Ian. 12, 1954 2,678,073 DeNardis May 11, 1954 

